The Cogship Enigma

Uncover an ancient secret aboard a haunted steampunk vessel.

The players are called to investigate the emergence of a strange fleet of ghostly cogships appearing at the coastal city of Nadderport. The ships hold an ancient elven secret critical to preventing the awakening of a cosmic storm deity. Players must board one such spectral vessel, navigate through its erratic magical and technological challenges, and decode its mysteries before it's too late. Soon they discover that the ships are manifestations of a forgotten elven civilization, lost to time because of a catastrophic event. As the veil of secrets lifts, they are faced with choices that can either save the coastal region or doom it to an era drowned by storms.

The World

Context

In the world of Eonspire, high magic fuels engines of intricate steampunk machines. Humans, elves, and dwarves coexist, their differences ebbing and flowing with the tides of collaboration and tension. Coastal cities thrive due to trade powered by arcane turbines and steam-driven ships, while secretive elven ruins hint at forgotten technologies beyond current comprehension.

Concept

Ethereal cogships, ghostly remnants of an ancient elven fleet, appear unpredictably along the coast.

Impact

These spectral ships challenge reality, attracting adventurers and scholars, but destabilize magical tech nearby.

The Plot

Summary

The adventure begins when strange ghostly cogships start appearing in the waters near Nadderport. Captains and merchants fear them, as their presence seems to eerily disrupt magical and technological devices. The adventurers are tasked with solving this arcane anomaly. As they investigate, they uncover a deep-seated elven mystery linking these ships to a dormant cosmic storm deity, Kaellus. The ships carry hidden ancient crystals necessary to maintain a barrier keeping Kaellus asleep. Time is short; the adventurers have a week to recover the crystals before the deity awakens, potentially submerging the world in catastrophic storms. The primary antagonist is an enigmatic elven artifact guardian aboard the lead ship, determined to fulfill its last order: unseal the barrier. The party must gather intel from Nadderport's pirate-elven insiders, explore the cogship’s hazardous interior, wrestle the truth from the guardian, and activate the crystals correctly.

Complication

The cogships are unwittingly reviving a cosmic storm deity, Kaellus.

Hook

Ghostly cogships disrupt local trade.

World stakes

Success prevents catastrophic coastal storms and economic ruin.

Personal stakes

Failure means losing favor and future work opportunities.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

Players start in Nadderport, exploring leads about the ghostly cogships. They interact with the Captain of the Guard and a retired elven navigator who provide initial insights. Clues suggest the ships are connected to ancient elven myths. As the players gather information, a storm spike visibly emanates from a ship's location, stressing urgency.

Location:

Nadderport Harbor, bustling with magic-tech trade.

Challenge:

Distrust among locals about outsiders dealing with myths.

Objective:

Gather information about the ghost ships.

Set Back:

A key informant is missing or unwilling to talk.

Revelation:

The ships link to an ancient mythological cycle.

GM's Guide:

Maintain pace by alternating between investigative role-play and atmospheric mystery. Use NPCs to feed information organically. Ensure players feel the tension of time and cosmic threat, and suggest methods to approach the issue from various angles (e.g., scholarly research, direct boarding).

GM's Move:

A storm surge starts affecting the town.

Act 2

Summary:

Players board one of the haunted cogships emanating erratic energies and engage with an intricate mix of traps designed by ancient elven technomancers. As they progress through the ship, guide them through hallucinations throwing doubt on their intentions. They discover the relics holding Kaellus at bay being charged improperly, instigating the cosmic unrest. Artifacts must be manipulated delicately, or disaster ensues.

Location:

Aboard a haunted elven cogship, full of traps.

Challenge:

Navigating magical traps and illusions.

Objective:

Board and explore a ghostly cogship.

Set Back:

Misdirection results in triggering a ship’s defense.

Revelation:

Improperly charged relics disrupt the cosmic balance.

GM's Guide:

Balance tension with moments of discovery and allow players to experiment with the ship’s arcane mechanisms. Reward clever ideas in safety mechanisms engagement or artifact handling. Vary challenges between physical conflict and mental puzzles.

GM's Move:

The ship's magic-tech can unpredictably affect players.

Act 3

Summary:

Inside the central chamber, players face the relic guardian, a sentient elven projection with its own agenda. Negotiations can reveal the tragic history behind the fleet and the trap they've set. Players must decide on using, removing, or resetting the relics. The wrong choice results in increasing cosmic chaos. Successful negotiation or combat ends with the safe transfer or activation of the relics.

Location:

The cogship's central relic chamber.

Challenge:

Negotiating or battling the elven artifact guardian.

Objective:

Neutralize the guardian's threat; decide relics' fate.

Set Back:

A wrong choice can summon hostile spirits.

Revelation:

Correct relic usage maintains cosmic peace.

GM's Guide:

Facilitate strategic thinking in player interactions with the guardian. Place emphasis on implications each decision may have on future mythos. Adjust combat difficulty based on choice trajectory and ensure a sense of pressure from the increasing storm.

GM's Move:

Failure triggers an uncontained storm.

Climax:

Players use the relic to neutralize the cosmic threat or unleash havoc.